IF GOD REBUKES YOU, it should encourage you that He cares. If God warns you, it should encourage and comfort you that He’s watching out for your soul. If He chastens and disciplines you, it should encourage and edify you that He’s forming you into a beautiful vessel. Somehow the church has been led to believe the lie that a Word of prophecy or encouragement is supposed to make you happy and feel good about yourself and your decisions. I have received “hard” words of encouragement and I have had to give those same “hard” words. It always means that God cares about you, your actions, your words and your life.
“But he who prophesies speaks edification and exhortation and comfort to men.” I Corinthians 14:3
Let me break these words down for you:
“EDIFICATION”- to increase in knowledge and all habits of grace, the instruction or improvement of a person morally or intellectually. Prophecy will increase our knowledge of what God requires us morally to do, or what He is doing Himself.
“EXHORTATION”- to remove sluggishness; to quicken in the exercises and practice of such duties as God has required in His Word; the act of strongly encouraging or trying to persuade someone to do something, prophecy will give pure and holy advising.
“COMFORT”- relief from under burdens, to support or uphold wounded spirits; encouragement as Americans define it, whether by words or the presence of another to help in time of need. Prophecy will be the ointment poured on a wound to relieve the pain.
Do not get sucked into the lie that “if doesn’t make you feel good, it isn’t from God”. Wrong. Wrong. Wrong. This is what Jesus warned us of in the latter days, “people will have itching ears”, they only want to hear things that make them feel good about themselves. A spirit of witchcraft has entered the prophetic, not unlike the days of ancient Israel when Ahab had 400 prophets but was asked by the king of Judah to bring a real prophet because they all prophesied falsely. There was one in all of Israel who would only give the true word of the Lord. They are rare in today’s church. You should be grateful that God cares enough about you to send a true prophet to correct you. He cares about your soul. THIS should encourage you.
To Learn More About Pastor Crystal please visit the Leadership Page
